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4 p.m.
Baseball
at UTSA
South Dakota State University Athletics
Friday, April 18
Cedar City, Utah
12 p.m. MT
South Dakota State University
7
at
5
Southern Utah
Jacks, T-Birds split twinbill
4/18/2008 1:00:00 AM | Baseball
CEDAR CITY, Utah ? South Dakota State received two strong starting pitching performances, but could only manage a split in a Summit League baseball doubleheader at Southern Utah on Friday afternoon.
The Jackrabbits won the opener, 7-5, behind Caleb Thielbar, then fell 3-2 in the seven-inning nitecap. SDSU moved to 14-18 overall and 6-2 in The Summit League. SUU moved to 20-15 overall, 7-3 in league play.
In the opener, the Jackrabbits never trailed. SDSU broke into the scoring column in the top of the first inning on a two-run double by Craig Parry. SUU tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the second inning, only to see the Jackrabbits regain the lead on another RBI double by Parry in the third.
The Thunderbirds again tied the game in the home half of the third, but SDSU took the lead for good on freshman Erik DeJong's first collegiate home run, a two-run blast with Billy Stitz aboard in the top of the fourth.
A home run by Joe Wright to lead off the Southern Utah fourth inning cut the margin back to one run at 5-4, but the Jackrabbits put the game out of reach with a two-run seventh. Jesse Ayala delivered a sacrifice fly and the final run scored on a throwing error.
Thielbar pitched 7 2/3 innings to earn his fourth victory of the season. He scattered 12 hits, walked one and struck out only one. Kirby Morsching retired all four batters he faced for his fourth save.
Parry collected four hits, including three doubles, to lead the Jackrabbits' nine-hit attack. Tony Martin added a pair of singles, while Korby Mintken added a sixth-inning single for his 200th career hit.
In Game 2, the Thunderbirds scored two unearned in the bottom of the sixth inning to spoil a strong outing by SDSU starter Jared Koch.
SUU plated the first run of the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning, but the Jackrabbits gained the lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Tyson Fisher drove in the first Jackrabbit run and Stitz stole home to complete the SDSU scoring.
The Thunderbird sixth inning opened with Nick Freitas reaching on an error. After Kelil Zablan singled, Freitas scored when Mac Nelson reached on another error. Bucky Aona later plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly against reliever Matt Baerlocher.
SUU starter Dustin Wittwer struck out seven and walked one in 6 1/3 innings of work to earn his fifth win of the season. Jacob Noyes recorded the last two outs for his second save of the series and third of the season.
Koch allowed only three hits and walked two batters in five-plus innings, striking out one as he fell to 3-2 on the season.
Tim Hanigan notched two of SDSU's five hits.
The Jackrabbits will attempt to salvage a split of the four-game series when the two teams meet in the series finale at 2 p.m. Mountain Time Saturday.
Game 1:
SDSU 201 200 200 7-9-3
SUU 021 100 010 5-12-2
SDSU: Caleb Thielbar, Kirby Morsching (8) and Tony Martin. SUU: Alec Reichle, David Thompson (6), Chase Hudson (7), Kyle Hamman (9) and Cameron Nelson.
W-Thielbar (4-2). L-Reichle (1-5). SV-Morsching (4).
HR: SDSU-Erik DeJong (1); SUU-Joe Wright.
Game 2: SOUTHERN UTAH 3,
SDSU 000 110 0 2-5-2
SUU 100 002 X 3-4-2
SDSU: Jared Koch, Matt Baerlocher (6) and Tony Martin. SUU: Dustin Wittwer, Jacob Noyes (7) and Matthew Bezzant, Cameron Nelson (7).
W-Wittwer (5-3). L-Koch (3-2). SV-Noyes (3).
HR: none.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
1B
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OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
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OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C/OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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